Access panel latch



Aug. 8, 1933. c. TRAUT ACCESS PANEL LATCH Filed Sept. 18, 1930 2Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEYS Allg. 8, C, TRAUT ACCESS PANEL LATCH FiledSept. 18. 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR4 A TTORNE YJ Patente-d Ang. 8,1933 UNTED STATES unirsi.

earsir ACCESS PANEL LATCH Clifford Traut, Newport, Bly., assigner to TheHiggin Ma Tit-il Application September 18, 1936. Serial No. 482,851

Claims.

My invention relates to latching devices for access panels, andparticularly to concealed latches which may he actuated by a screwdriver or other suitable instrument.

5 The employment of cams for latching devices has been suggested in thepast.

It is my object to provide a latching device which has a latchingportion, and a cano surface which cooperates with an inclined or canisur-- l0 face of the supporting trarne or" an access panel, so that byturning the latch in one direction the panel will he securely locked inplace, and hy turning the latching device in the other direction theedge of the panel on which the latch is mounted will he wedged away fromthe panel frame so that it may be readily reinovahle.

It is further niy object to provide a latch in which of a rotary memberhave correspondingly beveled cani surfaced portions mount- -0 ed inopposed directions so that one cam surfaced arni will latch in back ofthe access panel supporting traine while the other will, upon reverseniovernent of the latching inernher, cam the access panel out to aposition where it may he readily grasped with the fingers.

Referring to the drawings in which I have illustrated a preferred typeof construction, Figure l is a iront elevation of the access panel andtrarne showing the position of the latch when the access panel ispartially open.

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view showing the position of thepanel with the latch closed.

Figure 3 is a sectional view as would appear along the lines 3 3 inFigure l, with the access panel moved to partially open position.

Figure fi is a sectional view showing the access panel being removedtroni the panel raine.

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the latching member showing the two carnsurfaced portions, one of which loclzs the latch while the other onewedges upon the panel with reversed movement of the latching ineinloer.

Figure 6 is an end elevation of the latc ber.

Figure '.7 is another view of the latch member in a slightly diierentposition than that in which it is shown in llig. 5.

The access panel trarne comprises upper and F lower hars l and side bars2 welded or secured together in an integral assembly. The metal iecesforming trarne flanged exposure edges 3 which ordinarily lie hush withthe wall surface.

Inturned ribs l are set back from the face of the frame, against whichribs the access panel 5 (Cl. '292-24D is received. One side of the panel5 is provided with a clip 5 which interloclis with the rib 4 at one sideof the traine. Since the lower edge 5a of the panel seats within thelower side or the panel frame, no support is required to pre 60 vent thepanel from dropping out.

Gppos'ite the side on which the clips 6 are mounted, I provide thelatching arrangement which forrns the subject matter ci iny invention.

This latch arrangement comprises a housing 7 with. a carn mero er 8therein, and a cam portion 9 formed on the adjacent trarne rio 4. Thehousing 7 is rnade of a strip with its upper and lower ends bent forwardand Xed to the back of the panel 5, leaving its back spaced from thepanel, and open sides. The cani member 8 has alined short spindleportions 8a on its back and front, respectively, one journaled Vin thehousing back and the other in the panel 5 with its front end even withthe front face of the panel 5 and 75 having a slot 8b into which aninstrument A may be inserted as shown in Fig. 3, for turning the 8. Thiscam incrnloer 8 has radially diverging arms with their adjacentdiverging edges beveled, one arm 9a on its front, forming cam 8G surfacel0, and the other arm il on its back, forming cani surface l2. It isturned clockwise for latching; the earn surface 1U gradually wedgingdown in back or the rib 4. The frame cam portion 9 is a backwarddistension of the edge of the adjacent rib fl, located down from theaxis of the cam member 8 where, upon turning this neinoercounterclockwise, the upper iront edge of the arm ll may enter the spaceleit in front of this portion 9 and ride its rear beveled cani 0 surface12 up the inclined upper end thereof onto the straight front surface ofthe rib 4, forcing the panel 5 forward far enough for engagement of thefingers to litt the panel from the opening. 5

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent istl. A latch structure for use in securing apanel to the outer face of a panel frame rib, comprising a portion ofsaid rib, having a recess in said outer face, a rotary cam member on theinner face of said panel having a portion to enter said recess and passto the outer face of the rib to force the panel outwardly as the cammember is rotated in one direction, and a portion to pass out of saidrecess to the inner face of the rib and lock the panel in place as thecam member is rotated in the opposite direction.

2. A latch structure for use in securing a panel to the outer face of apanel frame rib, comprising a portion of said rib, having a recess insaid outer face, a rotary cam member on the inner face of said panel,said panel having an opening through which said cam member is accessible`for rotation, and said cam member having cani faces with edges inaxially spaced planes and inversely presented along said planes, oneedge passing into said recess and passing therefrom to the outer face ofthe rib to force the panel outwardly as the cam member is rotated in onedirection, and the other edge passing out of said recess to the innerface of said rib to draw the panel inwardly as the cam member is rotatedin the opposite direction.

3. A latching structure for use in securing a panel in flush positionwith relation to the outer face of a wall frame having a rib inset fromits outer face, against which the panel is to be seated, comprising aportion of said rib recessed, a rotating cam member adjacent the innerface of the panel, arranged to enter said recessed portion out of'engagement with the inner face of the rib as the cam member is rotatedin` one direction, and to pass to the inner face of the rib as the cammember is rotated in the opposite direction out of' the recess, wherebythe panel is forced outwardly from the frame on the ormer motion andlocked-in place on the latter motion.

4; A latohing structure for use in securing a panel in flush positionwith relation to the outer face of a wall frame having a rib inset fromits outer face, against which the panel is to be seated, comprising aportion of said rib recessed, a rotating cam member adjacent the innerface of the panel, arranged to enter said recessed portion out ofengagement with the inner face of the rib as the cam member is rotatedin one direction, and to pass to the inner face of the rib as the cammember is rotated in the opposite direction out of the recess, wherebythe panel is forced outwardly from the frame on the former motion andlocked in place on the latter motion, a stem on said cam, and a screwslot in said stem countersunk into the panel.

5. A latching structure for use in securing a panel in flush positionwith relation to the outer face of a wall frame having a rib inset fromits outer face, against which the panel is to be seated, comprising aportion of said rib bent and leaving a recess therein and an outwardlypresented cam surface in the recess, a rotating cam member adjacent theinner face of the panel, arranged to enter said recess into engagementwith the cam surface oi" the rib to force the panel outwardly from theframe as the cam member is rotated in one direction, and to pass out ofsaid recess to the inner face of the rib to lock' the panel in the frameas the cam member is rotated in the opposite direction, and means to beengaged at the outer face of the panel for rotating said cam member.

CLIFFORD TRAUT.

